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Vampire Clans Dark Ages Clans

Assamite

 Celerity, Obfuscate, Quietus
Advantages - After acquiring 240 Blood Traits (200 + 20%, all Assamite PCs get 2d100 for free) from those of equal or lower generation, an Assamite can partake of a special ritual that is known only to the Assamite Vizier. This ritual will permanently lower the vampires generation, bringing the Assamite one step closer to Caine.

Assamite characters get two additional Abilities at character creation to be chosen from the following list - Blindfighting, Brawl, Melee, Stealth.
Disadvantages - Assamite vampires must tithe 20% of all Blood gathered through contracts to their Sire. In addition, regardless of whether on not an Assamite has committed a diablerie or not, all Assamites have the black veins of diablerie in their aura.

Assamite characters must also make a Self-Control/Insticts test against a statis difficulty of 3 when they consume vampiric blood or consume all of it.

At this time there are no European Assamites or female Assamites. All Assamites at this time are Middle Eastern and therefore have the Flaw of Second Class Citizen.

 

Brujah

Celerity, Potence, Presence
Advantages - In the Dark Ages the Brujah Clan embraces as many scholars as they do warriors. Therefore those of the Brujah Clan begin the game with two free abilities chosen from the following list - Academics, Athletics, Brawl, History, Law, Leadership, Linguistics, Medicine, Melee, Politics or Science.
Disadvantages - The Brujah are at a 1 trait penalty when trying to resist Self-Control/Instincts tests.

 

Cappadocian

Auspex, Fortitude, Mortis
Advantages - Cappadocians are known for their wisdom and insight, often serving as advisors to other vampire   rulers. Because of the reputation, provided their Clan is known,  members of the Cappadocian Clan are considered to be 1 Status point higher than they actually are.
Disadvantages - No matter how much blood a Cappadocian vampire drinks, their very deathly pale pallor will not change. Because of this "deathly" pallor, all Cappadocians suffer a 1 Trait penalty during Social Challenges which they initiate.

 

Follower of Set

Obfuscate, Presence, Serpentis
Followers of Set gain a free level of Streetwise Ability at no cost and one free level of Influence from Political, Street or Underworld.
Disadvantages - Exposure to sunlight causes an additional level of aggravated damage. Sources of bright light cause Serpents to suffer a one-trait penalty for all actions take in the light.

 

Gangrel

Animalism, Fortitude, Protean
Advantages – Gangrel are chosen for their ability to weather adversity. Because of this all Gangrel begin the game with two additional abilities to be chosen from: Animal Ken, Brawl, Hearth Wisdom, Melee, or Survival.

Because the Gangrel have for countless years established a relationship with Garou, they do not "smell of the wyrm" to Garou unless they have a Path Rating of less than 6.
Disadvantages - Each time a Gangrel  frenzies they become more and more bestial in their appearance, gaining increasing animalistic features, like hairy manes, pointed ears and teeth etc. For every three of these marks gained the character must take an additional Bestial or Repugnant Social Trait. The most Negative Traits that can be aquired in this manner is 5.

 

Lasombra

Dominate, Obtenebration, Potence
Advantages - The Lasombra are deeply involved in mortal political and ecclesiastical structures. All Lasombra get one free Influence Trait from either Church or Politics. They also get a free level of Leadership or Intimidation for free at character creation.
Disadvantages - Members of the Lasombra Clan suffer from a particularly obvious disadvantage. They are not visible in any reflective surface such as mirrors, water, etc. This immediately identifies them as a supernatural being.

 

Malkavian

 Auspex, Dementation, Obfuscate
Advantages - Due to the chaotic and strangely prophetic/disturbed nature of this bloodline the Malkavian  have the peculiar ability to know things that they probably shouldn't and couldn't know. There is no explanation for this, but its true. "They know stuff." Once per evening a Malkavian can  petition the Storyteller for some information that they otherwise wouldn't and probably shouldn't know about the activities in the chronicle. This information should be suitably vague and bizarre, but potentially true. The Storyteller determines the topic and the validity of the prophecy.
Disadvantages - All Malkavians begin the game with one Derangement, which is always active. This Derangement can not be bought off, ever.

 

Nosferatu Animalism, Obfuscate, Potence
Advantages - All members of the Nosferatu Clan have an intimate understanding of the sewers in their respective cities. Because of this they get the ability Sewer Lore at character creation for free. They also gain the additional Abilities of Survival and Stealth at character generation for free.

If a Nosferatu is near an entrance to the sewer and wishes to escape, he or she can call a "fair-escape" using the sewer. This is subject to the normal fair escape rules. Those without Sewer Lore have no chance of catching the fleeing Nosferatu. Also, Nosferatu can spend any Influence Trait and investigate the goings on in other areas of Influence. Thus a Nosferatu with Street Influence can spend Street Influence and hear rumors in Guild or Finance or Church or Occult.
Disadvantage –  Nosferatu can not have the Social Traits of Alluring, Gorgeous or Seductive without the aid of some magical means or a Discipline.

Due to their hideous appearance, Nosferatu suffer from the Negative Social Traits Repugnant x3 when their true visage is apparent and may not call for Social Challenges. The only exception is those Social Challenges involving Intimidation or threats.

 

Ravnos

 Animalism, Fortitude, Chimerstry
Advantages - Because of their lifestyle of lies and deception at every opportunity, all members of the Ravnos Clan begin the game with one level of Subterfuge at no cost. Additionally they can choose one of Survival or Stealth. They also start with a free level of the Background Contacts or a free Street Influence.
Disadvantages - All Ravnos have the Compulsion Flaw (some form of deception or thievery) which can not be escaped and takes the form of a "signiture crime". Anytime the Ravnos faces this vice they must make a Self-Control/Instincts test verses a difficulty of three.

 

Toreador

 Auspex, Celerity, Presence
Advantages - Toreador are embraced for their artistic talent. All Toreador anti-tribu gain two free abilities from the following list - Academics, Crafts, Performance or Subterfuge. Because of this Clans tendency to surround themselves with herd they find it easier to get Blood when hunting. For every level of Performance ability that a Toreador has he or she can get 2 Blood Traits without hunting.
Disadvantages – This Clans appreciation for beauty or art is so extreme that they can easily become enthralled by works of art. When a Toreador first sees a work of art by an artist with at least 3 Performance they must win a Static Social test against the artwork (difficulty equal to the artists Social Traits). Failure in this challenge results in being enthralled for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes they may try again to break away from admiring the art. During this time the Toreador will ignore other responsibilities and can only discuss the artwork. They have a big tendency to be become enthralled by mortals (with Social Traits of 9 or more), even to the point of falling in love.

 

Tremere

Auspex, Dominate, Thaumaturgy
Advantages – All Tremere begin the game with a number of Ritual points equal to their Mental Traits. These points must be spent prior to starting the actual game and are bought at a cost of 2/4/6, (Basic, Intermediate, Advanced). Not including Communicate with Kindred Sire, which all Tremere must learn.

As long as the Tremere is in "good standing" with the Clan, he manipulates the mortal affairs of Occult at a cost of one less Trait than others would be required to have. The minimum Influence expenditure is 1 Trait, but the Tremere can get things done equal to having spent 2 Occult Influence. If the Tremere looses favor with the Clan this will be lost and the Tremere will likely be punished. These Clan ties also allow Tremere to aquire virtually any Path of Thaumaturgy that is known to the Clan. Having a Mentor with the Path makes it easier however.
Disadvantages - The head of each Chantry hold in their possession 1 Blood Trait of all Tremere in that Chantries region of Influence. Additionally the Inner Circle in Ceoris hold an additional two Blood Traits of all members of the Clan.

Upon their presentation to the Inner Circle every Neonate drinks of a mixture of the Inner Circles Blood. This means that only two more drinks and a Blood Bond is begun. Often times to punish troublesome younger Tremere they are forced to partake of this mixture as punishment.

Due to the rumors of diablerie that are circulating about the Tremere "Clan" all Tremere suffer from the negative Social Trait of Untrustworthy.

 

Tzimisce

Animalism, Auspex, Vicissitude
Advantages - All Tzimisce gain two free Abilities to be chosen from the following - Animal Ken, Awareness, Brawl, Crafts (Body Sculpting), Leadership, Lore, Melee or Occult.

Due to the Tzimisce's natural tendency to be territorial they have a habit of owning vast estates and properties. All Tzimisce begin the game with one free Influence Trait in Politics. This is the result of being perceived as wealthy landowners which they usually are.

The Tzimisce have an affinity for their homelands, they can aquire Kuldonic Sorcery at out-of-clan cost (exactly like Thaumaturgical Paths). However, they must have a Mentor who possesses the Kuldonic Path they desire.
Disadvantages - Tzimisce when they sleep must surround themselves with at least two handfuls of soil from the land important to them while they were mortal. Failure to do so results in gaining a 1 trait penalty (cumulative) on all challenges for each night until they do. Havens are very important to Tzimisce.

Bratovich Tzimisce also suffer a one-trait penalty on Self-control/Instincts test to resist frenzy.

Tzimisce Koldun suffer a one-trait penalty when defending against magical attacks because they have so attuned themselves to magic.

 

Ventrue

 Dominate, Fortitude, Presence
Advantages - The Ventrue are always intimately involved in the affairs of mortal institutions of wealth and power. All Ventrue gain one free Ability to be chosen from the following - Academics, Intimidation, Leadership, Melee, or Politics. They also gain 2 free Influence in either Court or Politics.
Disadvantages - Ventrue can only gain sustenance from drinking one type of blood. They must choose at character creation what type of blood that will be. Upon embrace Ventrue instinctively know what type of blood it will be - blond hared women, young men, virgins etc.


The Bloodlines 

 

Caitiff

Any three except Clan restricted.
Advantages - Pander do not pay out-of-clan costs for Disciplines. They seem to be less constrained in learning new Disciplines than members of the Clans.
Disadvantages – There are very few Caitiff in the Dark Ages and none below 10th generation.


Gargoyle

Fortitude, Potence, Visceratika
Advantages – Gargoyles are created from either Gangrel, Nosferatu or Tzimisce stock. Because if their origans each gargoyle has access to an additional in-clan discipline from the following choices: Obfuscate, Protean or Viscisitude. The additional in-clan discipline must be taken at least at a Basic level at character creation.

Gargoyles recieve one level of Awareness for free at character generation. As their mastery over the discipline of Visceratika grows, Gargoyles gain larger and stronger wings. Each level of Visceratika gives the character an equal level of the Flight discipline as found in the Camarilla guide for live action.
Disadvantages - Gargoyle characters can not have the Social Traits of Alluring, Gorgeous or Seductive without the aid of some magical means or a Discipline.

Due to their hideous appearance, gargoyles suffer from the Negative Social Trait Bestial when their true visage is apparent and may not initiate Social Challenges other than those involving Intimidation or threats.

Gargoyles have a natural weakness built into them by the Tremere ritual that created them. Gargoyles thus suffer from the Negative Mental Traits of Submissive x2 when attempting to resist Dominate or any other form of mind-controlling effects.

 

Lamia

Deimos, Mortis, Potence
Advantages – The Lamia were created to serve as bodyguards to the Cappadocians no expense has been spared in their training, all Lamia begin the game with two free levels of Melee ability.
Disadvantages - Lamia are carriers of a virulent plague. Because of this they are typically forced out of cities because of the damage they could cause if they feed without killing the person and then burning the body. Most are forced to feed in leper colonies and on the dead which they them burn. Feeding without taking precautions could result in the death of whole cities if not handled appropriately.

 

Salubri

Auspex, Fortitude, Valeren
Advantages – During character creation Salubri recieve a free level of Occult Ability and a free increase in thier Morality Rating. In addition, all Salubri get the abilities of Medicine and Linguistics (Enochian) at no cost. Healers start with an additional Medicine ability. Warrior Salubri begin with an additional Melee ability.
Disadvantages - All Salubri must follow one of three Roads, Humanity, Heaven or Chivalry. Salubri must maintain very high Road Rating if they want to have access to Valeren. Every 2 Road Rating less than 10 reduces the Salubri access to the Discipline powers of Valeren. At a Road Rating of 8 they may never ever possess the Advanced Discipline Powers regardless of generation. At a Road Rating of 6 they loose access to the Intermediate Discipline Powers of Valeren. At a Road Rating of 4 the Salubri can never have more than the Basic Discipline Powers. At a Road Rating of 2 the Salubri has lost access to the Valeren Discipline entirely.

 

Lhiannan

Animalism, Ogham, Presence
Advantages – Pagan followers flock to the Lhiannan. These followers willingly give their Blood to these Pagan Priests and Priestesses. Lhiannan can get 1 Blood Trait each evening for each Influence they possess.
Disadvantages - Because of the Lhiannan affiliation with Paganism and the Dark Mother their Auras are easy to read. The Lhiannan lose ties in all Aura Perception challenges. Additionally, these Pagans also suffer a 1 Trait penalty in any challenge against anyone with Faith, even Pagan Faith.